The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to electrical terminals that terminate wires.
Electrical terminals are often used to terminate the ends of wires. Such electrical terminals typically include an electrical contact and a crimp barrel. The crimp barrel includes an opening that receives an end of the wire therein. The crimp barrel is crimped around the end of the wire to establish an electrical connection between the one or more conductors of the wire and the terminal as well as to mechanically hold the electrical terminal on the wire end. When crimped over the wire end, the crimp barrel establishes an electro-mechanical connection between the conductor(s) of the wire and the electrical contact.
Conductors of wires are often fabricated from copper, copper alloys, copper clad steel, etc. However, as the cost of copper has risen, aluminum has represents a lower cost alternative conductor material. But, using aluminum as a conductor material is not without disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of using aluminum as a conductor material is an oxide and/or other surface material (e.g., residual wire extrusion enhancement materials) layer that may build on the exterior surface of the conductor when the conductor is exposed to atmosphere and/or during processing of the conductor. For example, such aluminum oxide layers can have relatively poor electrical connection properties as compared to metallic aluminum. Such oxide and/or other surface material layers may be formed on other conductor materials, but can be especially difficult to deal with for aluminum. Accordingly, such exterior conductor surface oxide layers must be penetrated to contact the aluminum material to establish a reliable electromechanical connection between a wire and an electrical terminal and/or to establish a reliable electrical connection between different conductors of the wire. But, it may be difficult to displace enough of the oxide layer to achieve a sufficient electrical and mechanical bond, and thereby establish a reliable electrical connection, because of the tenacity and relatively high speed at which the oxide layer forms on the conductors. For example, as a conductor wipes against another conductor and/or the electrical terminal during crimping, the oxide layer of the conductor(s) can be displaced to expose the aluminum material of the conductor(s). But, it may be difficult to displace enough of the oxide layer to achieve a sufficient electrical and mechanical bond during the crimping operation and/or before new oxide forms on the exposed aluminum material.